


Heavenly Virtues

by MythGirl02



Series: DVHS-verse [3]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Bonding, Free Time Events (Dangan Ronpa), Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:54:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29032020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythGirl02/pseuds/MythGirl02
Summary: Free time events featuring the cast of my fangan,Deadly Virtues, Heavenly Sins. There may be a couple spoilers in there somewhere so tread with caution if you haven't read DVHS yet!
Series: DVHS-verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1932751
Kudos: 2





	1. Abe Fumito

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably earlier than you thought you would see me with more DVHS content, but I couldn't help myself and wrote FTEs for all the characters! This will update every Friday until we've gone through everyone, so hope you enjoy!
> 
> Plus, each chapter will have a little fun fact about that character!

**1.**

I don't want to stay in the gym, not if Monokuma could show up again at any moment. Being my cool, collected self, I decide in a split second to run after Abe, slowing my pace to his once I catch up. "Can I help you?" He doesn't even look at me, but his tone is expectant. I can't exactly pretend I didn't notice him there. Time to let my mouth do the work for me.

...Ugh. Poor word choice.

"You're a historian, right?" I internally wince at how awkward I sound. Just what I need.

His expression doesn't shift an inch. "That's how I introduced myself, yes."

Jeez, I should've led with something else. Of course he is. Now I probably sound like an idiot. "What made you interested in history? Did you just like the class?"

He's quiet for a minute, thinking. "I guess you could say that. I always scored high on history exams."

"So your interest stemmed from there?" Another curse: once my curious side starts, it doesn't stop.

"After school, I started spending time researching the history of Japan and other nations. They're interesting enough to spend my time on." He shrugs, like that's that, but there's no way it can be that simple.

After a little deliberation on my end about his word choice- something I excel at as a linguist- I pick up on something. "You sound like you don't like your talent that much."

More silence follows. We're approaching the dorm area now. My window of opportunity for getting to know him is waning. "My sisters encouraged me to pursue my interests. History is really the only thing that holds my interest."

That doesn't answer my question, but we're right outside his door, so I let it go for now. "Well, like I said before, if you ever need help with a translation or anything, you know who to come to!"

"Right. I'll keep that in mind." By the way he closes the door on me right after, I suspect he isn't completely sincere like I am. Whatever.

**2.**

Abe and I are the last two, so why not do some harmless chatting? Maybe I can crack him. "Hey Abe, you've mentioned your sisters before. Can you tell me more about them?"

"No."

I wait for him to say more. Him being himself, he doesn't. "Really? Nothing?"

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose as he gets up. "Why do you talk to me so much?"

I get up as well, if only to keep at his eye level. "To get to know you, obviously. Why else would I?"

"I don't know, but you shouldn't." His arm sweeps out in front of him. The move reminds me of a certain Disney princess. I take a step back instinctively. When did his annoyance turn into anger? "In this situation, would it hurt less for the victim or blackened to be someone you know well or someone you don't?"

I blink. "Someone you don't, but-"

"But that's it. There's nothing more to it."

He starts to leave. I bite my lip before shouting, "No, that's wrong. You're wrong! If we get to know each other better, we'll be able to stop anything more from happening."

He stops in his tracks, but doesn't turn towards me. "This is where we differ, Ishikawa: I am a realist. You are an idealist. Can you see why we could never agree on this?"

I bite my lip again, my nails digging into my palms. What kind of answer could I possibly provide?

He looks over his shoulder once, so quick that I'm not convinced it happened. "Think on that. I'll wait."

**3.**

I go to Abe's door and ring the doorbell before I can think about it. He probably has less to do right now than I do, but I'm conflicted. This poison will likely kill upon consumption.

Unfortunately, he opens his door before I can make the decision to leave. His voice is tougher than it was when he tried talking to me this morning. "Ishikawa. Is there a reason you're here? Did you realize that I was-"

"Right. You were." There's no look of triumph at my hollow words as I suspected there would be.

His eyes seem to look right through me. "I see. But you don't fully believe that, do you? You wouldn't be you if you did." I don't know what I believe anymore. I don't respond, and he hesitates before continuing. "Look. Let me tell you a little about my sisters. They took care of me for a long time after my parents died. One is more optimistic, an idealist. The other is a realist like me. They're my grounding forces; the right blend of their thoughts is perfect. So-" here he hesitates again- "maybe by blending our thoughts, we'll be able to overcome any despair Monokuma throws at us. What do you say?"

What can I say to that? I hardly know what I'm doing with the motive or moving on. How can I work with him, especially after what he said before? "What do you think we should do?"

He seems almost surprised that he got this far. "Well, first, we need to start asking the right questions. Then we'll know what to do." I almost ask for more specifics when he discreetly glances at the cameras watching us. We need to be careful about this, of course. "Let's discuss this more later."

I nod slowly, still partially recovering from this conversation. Okay. We can do this. "I'll see you later, then." I can feel him watching me as I walk off, unsure of what to do next.

**4.**

A few beats pass before everyone starts to take his lead and filter out. However, I stay back and sink down against the gym wall. I don't even bother with the bleachers; the wall is closer. I have some serious thinking to do if I want to prevent another murder. I keep my eyes closed so I can focus until I hear someone sit down beside me. I know who it is without even raising my eyes. "Abe?"

"Yes?"

I sigh and look up at the camera directed at us from the opposite corner. I debate my words for a second. Saying them out loud probably won't do any good, but I feel compelled to ask anyway. "We're going to get out of here, right?" It's hard to admit, but… I think I've started to lose hope. We barely have over half of our original numbers. To think about everyone that's died here… It's disheartening.

He follows my gaze, studying the camera. I feel him contemplating his response. "I can't tell you that."

I thought as much. My shoulders hunch forward, trying to curl myself into a ball. "Can you tell me more about your sisters, then? A distraction, I guess."

"I suppose that couldn't hurt." He shifts a little, taking his time to think. For a minute or so, we're encased in silence. "You wouldn't believe this, knowing me now, but my friends and I used to make a lot of trouble for my sisters. I don't know how, but they always put up with us. We were little terrors; it was only a few years ago we all started to get along. That was when my sisters really helped me better myself."

My gaze softens as I listen to him talk. There's that fondness in his voice that I never hear unless he's talking about his sisters. "I bet they all miss you." Before he can say anything else, I ramble on, my mouth moving faster than my brain. "Because you know what I've noticed about you? You are a very easy person to miss. They probably started missing you the moment we were brought here."

He stays quiet for a moment, maybe processing what I said. "We've talked a lot about me. What about you?"

"Oh, it's just me and my parents since my abuela lives in Spain. We travel a lot, that's how I developed my talent." I pause. It feels like gravity is dragging my stomach down. This conversation is no longer the distraction I'd hoped it would be. "I hope they're alright."

Neither of us speak after that. I stare at the opposite wall, thoughts racing through my head. My parents, my abuela, all of the extended family that I've met a handful of times, the friends I've made across the globe… Do they even know I'm here? Do they know how we're all suffering?

Abe stays next to me until I pull myself back together, however shakily. He even offers me his hand. I take it, pulling myself up mostly with my own strength. Abe isn't very strong; he's built like a string bean.

He lets go of my hand quickly once we notice that we're just standing there. "Look. I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with, but…" He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, again reminding me of my old history professor. Even funnier, two bits of hair stick out on either side until he smooths them back down. "...Nevermind."

I blink as he abruptly turns and walks out of the gym. If those weren't mixed messages he sent me, I don't know what are.

**5.**

Lucky me, just the person I need is walking down the hall. "Hey, Abe!" I have to jog a little to catch up with him, but he slows down once I call his name. I have to take a moment to catch my breath. "Can we talk? I want to try to work together still. And. Apologize, I guess."

He looks me over, trying to pick me apart. I can't say I blame him, I guess I've been kind of hot-and-cold with him. "How do you mean?"

"Even just, I don't know, not be as hostile." I have to keep my promise to Yasu, after all, but I don't tell him that that's my reason. "For everyone, you know?" He doesn't say anything for a minute, and doesn't meet my eyes. I'm starting to get a bit antsy. "Please?"

Then he sighs, finally looking at me. "I wasn't going to say no, Ishikawa."

I blink in surprise. "You weren't?" What a relief.

"At the end of everything… I'm going to need everyone's trust. So no more hostility."

That… That was an odd choice of words for Mr. No-Trust. Something's up, but do I want to know…? "Good. Glad we agree. You can go back to what you were doing, sorry to hold you up."

He nods, but hesitates for a second. "You've been a good...friend." Then he turns and enters his room, leaving me with my jaw dropped. Did he really just call me his friend? Are we friends? I'm so confused. Has he considered us friends the whole time? Why didn't he tell me?

Ah, well, I'm overthinking everything, probably. Don't be weird about it. Be chill. Not that there's anything to be chill about, he's not even here. And it's hard to believe that after all this time, I still can't figure him out. But...yeah. I can trust him. I think. I nod to myself and return to my own room, putting my book on one of the large stacks.


	2. Aoyama Nozomu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...this is kinda where you can start to see the divide between the FTEs that were actually in DVHS and the ones that weren't...whoops

**1.**

Not long after that's sorted out, we all go our separate ways for the time being. Mostly people just head to their rooms, but Aoyama hangs back in the dining hall for whatever reason. I linger in the doorway before going back inside, sitting near him. "Can you tell me something?"

He quirks an eyebrow up, tipping his chair backward. "Depends, you want to answer a question of my own?"

A hard bargain. "I'll answer yours if you answer mine." I can probably outstare him if I have to. I'm getting my question answered.

He holds my stare for a minute before shrugging. "Shoot."

I could really ask him any question I want right now. I can totally switch questions if I want to- but I'm not that kind of person. "What kind of blog do you run? I want to know if I've ever seen it."

"I'm sure you have." And we're back to the cockiness he had when we arrived. Less of the annoying person he's been, sort of, just self-assured. "Mostly I just talk about life, reblog and make memes, the usual. I just happened to get popular, and now here I am."

"Oh, so I haven't seen it. I generally only follow travel blogs, and to keep up with my friends in different countries." It really helps me continue to practice those languages, since they'll either post in their native language or we'll converse in it.

He doesn't react much to me saying that, even though I think it's a bit of a blow to his ego. It nearly was when Saito said that nobody knew who he was earlier. "It doesn't matter if you don't know my blog, it's still one of the most popular in Japan! That's not such an easy feat."

"I can imagine. Um, what was your question for me?" I'm actually a bit curious about it now.

He stares again, as though trying to look through me. It's a bit unnerving, but I'm not going to let him see that. "Why didn't you step up?"

I sit back a little and blink once. "What? I don't think I know what you're talking about."

"Instead of Ueda. I'm sure you've had more opportunities before to have the skills essential to a leader than she has, and you're a linguist, making you a better speaker. So why didn't you step up and become our leader?"

"Because…" Because what? Because I didn't think to? Because I didn't want the responsibility of it? "Because I believe in Ueda. I believe she can make a good leader for us if you'll give her a chance."

He regards me with a look of- wait, disappointment? "I see. I'll be going now. Thanks, I guess, for indulging in my curiosity." So formal, kind of, but also stiff, righteous.

**2.**

The only person I run into almost quickly is Aoyama, in the library. Funny that I've run into him in here before. "Hey," I say, grabbing his attention. He looks over from one of the bookshelves and nods. "Uh, so-"

"Are you really here for a conversation? Now?"

I blink at him. What's his deal this time? I've barely done anything! "If you're not going to be mean about it, yeah." I wait a second for him to say something else snarky. He doesn't; I'm free to proceed. "So your blog is really important to you, isn't it?"

"Gee, what gave you that impression?" Even though I can't see it, I can just tell he's rolling his eyes at me.

I let out a long breath. Is it too much to ask to have one regular conversation with him? "Cut the sarcasm or I'm leaving. Please."

He looks over at me again, then sighs. "Fine. Yes, it's important to me. People listen to me on there."

"Don't people listen to you regularly? I mean, you're not exactly quiet." I mean it in a jokey way, but something in him stiffens just a touch at my words.

"Gee, I never would've thought of that. Thanks." I wait for him to say more. After a few seconds pass, he looks at me. "...Aren't you going to leave now?"

Was that his game? Annoying me enough that I leave? "If you really want me to, I will." I turn and wait for him to tell me to stop. I do a lot of waiting with him, don't I? He doesn't say anything, so I sigh mutedly and walk out. I'll find someone else to talk to.

**3.**

Once more, Aoyama is the only person in the dining hall when I enter it. I can feel his eyes on me when I move to sit near him. I mean, we don't know how much longer we're going to be here. It should be worth it to at least gain a bit of a bond. "I forgot if I already asked, but what content do you post on your blog?"

His eyebrows lift a bit in surprise, like he can't believe I'm taking an interest, but he nods once. "Oh, you know, a little of this, a little of that."

Like a few blogs I've seen before, but… "What makes your blog special to you, then?"

He stops in place, halfway through tipping his chair back. I'm almost shocked he didn't fall backward. "Sorry?"

...Did I say something I shouldn't have? "I just mean, it sounds a lot like any other blog out there. What makes it yours?" Like I always post pictures of where I've been. I don't use my blog very often at all, but it's kind of cozy, just mine, with only a few followers, all of whom I'd met before while traveling.

"Well, I do post my own things from time to time." He makes a small motion with his hands, as though trying to grasp at words that aren't there. There's a little less cockiness and confidence in his eyes than there usually is. Should I not have brought it up at all?

"It sounds nice."

I expect him to have a snarky comeback, but he just looks away from me. I try waving my hand to get his attention, but nothing. Is this his new tactic, like last time? Ignoring me until I go away? That's pretty juvenile, even for him, but I can take a hint. I push myself up and leave him there. Maybe there'll be someone who wants company somewhere else.

**4.**

I nearly fall over when I open my door. At best, I stumble back a couple of steps. "Aoyama, what-?"

"You had no right to question me, you know." He stands right in front of me with his arms crossed, unmoving. How many times have I noticed how much taller than me he is? How have I not noticed it more often?

"It was just a question!" Though I have to admit, I have to jog my memory a little bit to determine what he's talking about.

His scowl doesn't shift, though something in his eyes does. It's the lack of confidence again, I think. "But now I've been thinking about it."

I legitimately can't tell if he's serious or not. "Oh, wow, sorry to make you think." I cross my arms, mirroring his stance and scowl.

He rolls his eyes at me. "Shut it. I admit that I'm not completely genuine on there, but who is? It's the internet!"

I mean, I try to be pretty genuine on there, but he has a point. I go by a nickname on there, and so do all of my friends. It's a bit safer that way. "That's fair, I guess. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

He opens his mouth once before closing it again and leaving with nothing else said. I have to say, that was one of the strangest encounters I've had here with anyone, which I think is saying a lot. I watch him turn the corner before shrugging and closing my door.

**5.**

I find Aoyama alone in the library again. It never really crossed my mind before, but he's usually alone here. He doesn't even hang around me often, and I think I'm the one that spends the most time around him. We spend a couple minutes in silence before I finally decide to break it. "So I guess you're going to get right back to your blog once we escape?"

He nods once, not looking at me yet. "Of course. My inbox is probably flooded right now, though I think my queue should still be running." His voice is a little tight, but I think he has a little more confidence than he did last time. That's a good sign.

"You think your followers miss your updates?" I wonder aloud, checking out one of the only books I think I hadn't noticed before.

"Of course they do! There's no doubt about it." The way he says it, there's really no doubt in his mind. "You don't get to be the most popular blog in the country without having followers that will miss your content. That's a given."

That's interesting to know. I think I've definitely learned a lot about running a popular blog from talking to him, even if I don't necessarily want to do it myself. I'm fine with my small following of close friends. "You should remind me to check out your blog when we get out. I might follow it, since we're friends now."

For a moment, I'm not really sure why I said that, since it's not like we're friends in same sense as everyone else here. In fact, I almost expect him to laugh, or protest. Instead, he looks at me, looks me up and down like seeing me for the first time, and if I'm not mistaken, he smiles. Like, a genuine, albeit small, smile. "I guess that'd be alright."

We spend the rest of our time there in silence, which I think is the only way we won't fight in that amount of time. Not fighting in silence is better than talking and arguing, so I don't mind. He must not, either. When I leave with yet another new book, I give him a smile and a nod, which he reciprocates. I think we'll get to be pretty good friends once we get out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Aoyama was a bit more personable in earlier drafts, as evidenced by his attitude in the prologue


	3. Fujimoto Hidekazu

**1.**

Fujimoto sits cross-legged outside his door scribbling something in the notebook he picked up yesterday. "Everything alright?" I ask tentatively, standing outside my own door.

"Locked myself out," he answers, not looking up from his notebook until he finishes his thought. "I went to the storeroom this morning and I think I dropped it somewhere there. I didn't want to look alone."

"Well, I'm not doing anything. I can look with you if you want." It's not a huge deal, anyway. Gives me something to do.

"Thank you." He stands up, his shoulders more relaxed. "I didn't want to bother anyone, really."

I shrug as we start on our way. "It's not really a bother, but I can get why you wouldn't want to ask." I glance at the notebook still in his hands. "It looks like you've been busy with ideas, huh?"

He considers his notebook for a moment. "Not as many as usual, actually. But Hamasaki said that we'd be able to collab as soon as we can. That'll be amazing, to work with someone else."

"Have you never done that before?" I was only tipped off from the wistful tone he had, but it seems right on the mark.

"Never. I don't usually let people read what I write until it's done, and the only reason I have my title is because my friend submitted them to a poetry contest and they won." He shrugs as we enter the storeroom. "I never wanted to enter, but he thought he was doing me a favor."

"They must be good if you were given the Super High-School Level Songwriter title. Ah, where do you think you dropped your key?"

He beckons me over to a few rows of shelves. "Somewhere over here. And, really, I don't think they're that good. They're just little indulgences. Nothing special." When I glance over, I notice that he's blushing. "Hamasaki, though, she thinks we would make a great team."

I smile to myself, knowing that that can happen in more than one way. Lovebirds. "You definitely would. It'd be cool to hear for sure." Something muted blue catches my eye on the ground. "Oh, here's your key."

He takes it from me with a grateful smile. "Thanks again, Ishikawa. I'll leave you to whatever you were doing before." With a final wave, he goes back outside, probably back to his room to write more. He's more shy than he comes off, for sure. I almost forgot that we didn't really get a formal chance to introduce ourselves to each other. Hamasaki, either. I should fix that sometime.

**2.**

Fujimoto is sitting outside his room again when I leave. "Did you lose your key again?" I ask, joking a little bit. He doesn't look up at me from his notebook, but shakes his head. "Would you like company?" He hesitates a second, but nods and shifts over a bit so we won't be blocking anyone's way.

"Are you not doing anything?" he asks after a second passes, since there really isn't too much else for us to talk about. I shake my head this time with a small smile. "I guess not, there's not much to do around here."

There isn't, not if I don't feel like working out or doing essentially useless tasks. "Hey, were you mad at your friend for entering your song in that contest?"

He pauses, his pencil hovering above the paper mid-sentence. "I was. I forgave him quickly, though. I generally don't like being mad."

I could kind of tell. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who would like being mad, or any negative feeling in general. I don't know what it is about him, but he just seems...afraid? I'm not sure if that's the right word- maybe apprehensive fits more?- but he always looks a little bit on-edge. The only time he doesn't look like that is when he's with Hamasaki. "Did it at least make for some good lyrics?"

He smiles a bit and rolls his eyes, finishing the lyric on his paper. "Ha, ha. No. That's not really my writing process."

"What is then?" I've heard of so many writers having their own processes, but I don't know if it's any different for songwriters. Maybe it is, and this is my chance to learn.

But he hesitates again, writing out another line. "It's...complicated." I wait a minute for him to elaborate, but he doesn't, and instead keeps writing in our semi-comfortable silence. It's not horrible; a lot less awkward than some of my other silences. I sit there with him still, keeping him company while letting my mind still wander, for at least another few minutes. After that, he closes his notebook and stands. "This was nice, but I have to meet Hamasaki. Thanks for the company."

He doesn't wait for me to respond, and instead walks down the hall, probably to one of the empty classrooms for them to practice one of their collabs. That's pretty fine with me; it forces me to get up and move more instead of just sitting around all day. I'll talk to him more later.

**3.**

I really didn't think the floor was very comfortable before, but that's always where I find Fujimoto, isn't it? I sit next to him again, leaning against his door, and wait for him to speak first.

He doesn't for about two or three minutes. He's comfortable in the silence as always, though he definitely looks significantly more frustrated this time. "It's hard to write in here."

I nod once, trying to make a bit of sense out of that. How can I turn it into even a short conversation? "Does it have to do with your writing process?"

He shrugs and taps the eraser-end of his pencil against his notebook page. "Kinda. I'm used to taking inspiration from the environment, but this…" He gestures to the hall and the walls, all the fake lighting and coldness. "It's giving me nothing."

I take a look at it again, trying to look at it from his point of view. It's all unnatural, and it's confining for sure, there's no doubt about that. Nothing about it has changed; I don't even think there are scuffs on the floor left from our shoes or dents in the wall from accidentally running into it or anything like that. It's…sterile, in a way. "I guess it is kinda stagnant."

"Exactly. And not writing is only making all this harder." He switches his grip on the pencil so the tip is against the page now, but he still doesn't write anything. Nothing is coming to him; I can only imagine how frustrating that is. I think I would go crazy if I were him. Eventually, he closes his notebook and stands, stretching out his back. "I'll probably go ask Hamasaki for help. She's good at this."

I nod again. "Good luck." Normally I would be a little miffed at a conversation ending so abruptly like that, but none of us can help something like that. We're still probably going to be in here for a while; there's still plenty of time for us to make pleasant conversation. It doesn't all have to happen at once.

**4.**

The floor is actually oddly comfortable after I've spent a little time on it. Fujimoto exits his room and looks at me once before coming down and sitting with me with a small smile. I smile back at him. "How's the writer's block?"

"Still frustrating." He runs his fingers over the cover of his notebook, keeping it closed for now. That's a bit unusual, I guess, since he's usually writing, but less unusual for him to be playing with it. It seems like a sort of comfort item, since he always has it with him.

"Well, what do you usually do to help?" After all, it would be good for future reference and for now, just to help a bit. I wasn't doing much of anything, anyway. Never really am. And who knows, maybe I'll need to know how to get rid of writer's block one day.

It takes him a moment to think, still fidgeting with his notebook. "Nothing I can do here, really. But I think this technically counts as pushing my comfort zone."

I blink, waiting for a bit of clarification. That could mean a million different things. "This?"

He tilts his head a little bit in contemplation, maybe trying to figure out what he's going to say next. "...Talking to people. This doesn't happen ever."

It doesn't? But he's talked to me before, and he talks to Hamasaki all the time. Though I don't think I've seen him talk to many other people now that I think of it. "Oh. Well, I'm glad I could help…?"

He smiles a small, tentative smile like he usually does and nods once. "Thanks. For all of this." He hesitates again before standing and going on his way. Our conversations are usually just pitstops, but I'm fine with that. Like I thought before, it's something. It doesn't all have to happen now.

**5.**

Of all the places I expect him to be, Fujimoto is right where I expect: outside his room, sitting with his back against the door. I smile at him, sliding down next to him. It's very comfortable now, more comfortable than most floors.

"You know," he says after a second, "at least there's one good thing to come out of this."

I throw on a teasing look and smirk. "Your partnership with Hamasaki?"

He gains a sheepish look, and maybe a blush if I look close enough. "...Two things."

"What's the other?" I lean a little towards him, really wondering what it could be.

"Being pushed." He shrugs a little. "I think I can write a lot better now that I've had new experiences."

Oh, these sure are new experiences alright. I think this kind of stuff is unprecedented. "That's great! Don't forget about us little people when you become famous."

He laughs, an actual laugh like I wouldn't really expect from him. "Oh, I'm not doing that. I might write a few songs, but I'd rather stick to what I'm comfortable with."

I don't blame him for that. I'm going to immerse myself in so much traveling and language-learning after this. That's what I'm comfortable with. "Well, you'll be great no matter what." I move to stand, but he catches my wrist. "Fujimoto?"

"Maybe we could just sit here. Just for a minute." His smile is soft, and I sit back down and smile back. No talking needed. We're fine here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Fujimoto was originally going to die before Hamasaki in the same way she was killed


	4. Hamasaki Utako

**1.**

I leave with those few, turning out of the library to find Hamasaki sitting cross-legged in the hall a ways down by the classroom at the end of the hall. Curiosity takes over me once more, and I find myself walking towards her.

"Everything alright?" I ask her before noticing that she has her guitar with her. It's a smooth wood, very well-kept and apparently in tune.

"Fine! Just practicing a little. I had to get out of my room." She motions for me to sit down next to her, and I do, setting my books to the side. "You never really value being able to go anywhere until there are limited places you can go."

"That's really wise." I listen as she fiddles with the strings of her guitar, playing seemingly random chords. "If you don't mind my asking, what got you into music?"

She strums another chord before shrugging. "I'm just wired that way. Perfect pitch and synesthesia will do that."

I think through that before realizing I really don't know what she's talking about. "What?"

"Synesthesia? Basically I can see colors and shapes when I hear certain notes or sounds- that kind is called chromesthesia. I also associate letters and words with colors- that's grapheme-color synesthesia."

She plays a few more chords- perfectly, I now note, as I likely should've before. "Okay, that sounds like it's really cool." I can't imagine being able to do that.

Her voice sounds a little far-off, like she's concentrating more on her guitar than our conversation. "It is a lot of the time, but it's so overwhelming sometimes. Like when there's a lot of clashing noise- think that awful excuse for music on our first day. I could barely see anything through the shapes and colors. It felt awful." She considers herself for a second. "Though I will say, when something is played right, it's really amazing."

"Sounds it." I sit with her for a while longer before my gaze lands back on my books. I realize with a start that I don't know what time it is, and I need to get these back to my room before I have to go meet Abe. "I have to go, but I'll see you later!"

I can't tell if she says anything in return; I'm already halfway down the hall.

**2.**

I follow the sound of music again in order to find Hamasaki. This time she's actually in one of the second floor classrooms instead of in that hallway. I stand in the doorway until she's done with the song she's playing, then straighten and give her some applause. "Hey, Ishikawa," she says, shifting to a different sitting position. "Come on in, I was just practicing."

I do, sitting on top of a desk facing her, just like she's on top of a desk. "How long have you been playing? I don't think I've heard you mess up a single chord."

She laughs and shakes her head, her hair falling over her shoulders. "I think I started when I was six? But trust me, I wasn't always this good. Learning the right chords was pretty tricky."

"That's still super cool." I've seen a lot of music performed around the world, but I don't think I've ever tried playing any myself. It always seemed so complicated, I was never sure I would be able to pick up enough by the time we moved again.

"I think so, too." She swings her legs a little, though she's tall enough that her feet nearly touch the ground.

"Do you prefer one guitar style over another?" I wonder, examining the acoustic guitar resting on her lap. I honestly don't know how many kinds there are, but this is the only one I've seen her with so far.

She looks down at it with a sort of fondness. "Definitely acoustic." She adjusts her fingers and plays a chord, a smile growing on her lips. "It's got the best sort of buttery yellow ovals for the F# chord. It's both visually and autidorially appealing."

I take in the chord as best as I can, but it'll never be as good as Hamasaki takes it in. "I wish I could see what you see with that."

Hamasaki smiles right at me and plays a few more chords, one by one, before going into another song. I stay for a rendition or two before she's completely caught into it. I'll leave her to her practicing.

**3.**

This time there's no music, not even her guitar, but Hamasaki is on the third floor, in one of the corners of the hall. I slow down as I approach, noticing her closed eyes. For a moment, I panic, but then I notice that she's still breathing. "Are you alright?"

She takes in a breath before answering. "Yeah, just… Give me a moment."

I nod to myself, since her eyes are still closed, and sit a couple feet away from her, giving her some space. I'm not sure how much time passes, but she alternates between simply breathing and pressing her hands against her forehead.

"...Alright," she says eventually, cracking her eyes open just a bit. "Sorry, I just had a headache. I heard a lot of shouting, and it clouded my vision, so I just needed time to cool down."

I almost forgot that she could see different sounds. "Right, I remember you saying before that that could happen." I can only imagine how distracting that would be. And besides, I'm not usually one for motion sickness, but that would probably do it.

"Mhmm." She sighs mutedly, rubbing her temples again. "It sucks, but I'm living. It fades after a while."

"That's good." I fall silent, waiting for her to continue on, but between her headache and the stress of our environment, she seems like she's about to fall asleep. I wait for maybe another minute before I get up as quickly as I can and leave, making sure she can have her peace and quiet.

**4.**

The door to the second-floor classroom Hamasaki always plays in is open, music streaming out. I smile to myself as I enter, sitting on top of the desk again. Funny, I don't think I ever used to do that. It's like second nature here.

"Hey," Hamasaki greets after a second, glancing up at me for just a moment. "Listen to this for me?"

I nod eagerly and wait as Hamasaki starts playing. It's not a song I've heard before; maybe she wrote it herself? There aren't any lyrics to it, but the chord progression suggests that it should have some. I'm guessing this is one of the collaborations she and Fujimoto have been working on.

I'm so caught up that I hardly notice she's done playing. "What do you think?" she asks, looking expectantly at me, like she's craving any form of feedback.

"That's really good! I can't believe your fingers can move that fast." Between regular notes and chord progression, I don't know how she had the strength or dexterity to get through the entire song. I would've given up after two chords.

She grins, setting her guitar aside carefully. "Believe me, I've had a lot of practice." She kicks her legs a little, and this time she's far enough on towards the edge of the desk that her feet actually do brush the floor. "My parents helped a lot, they were always my test audience. Them and my older brother. We're a pretty musical family."

Kind of like how my parents and I are all for traveling and learning languages. Things like that can definitely run in the family. "I'm glad they were supportive."

"Oh, absolutely." She slides off the desk and picks up her guitar. "They're going to love everything Fujimoto and I have worked on!"

I smile again as she leaves, her hair flying behind her. She's really passionate about her talent. I can really appreciate that about her.

**5.**

Hamasaki's music draws me in again. I don't think its possible for me to simply walk by whenever she's playing; I always need to stop and hear more. This time, it's just chords and strumming patterns, but it still sounds perfectly clear and good.

"Ishikawa," Hamasaki greets over the music. She can actually split her time between talking and playing pretty well. "You're really great for still looking for a way out of here."

That...was not what I was expecting to hear. "Same to you. I mean, you've never given up on getting out. You've just kept playing."

She pauses for a second, adjusting her fingers on the- I think they're called frets? "I'm many things, but I'm never a quitter." She plays some more, a lighter, bouncy tune.

"I think that's an awesome quality to have." I sit back and listen while she plays more, alternating between major and minor chords. Another minute passes, and I shake my head. "Be sure to remember us all when you're famous, okay?"

Hamasaki grins at me, playing the perfect ending chord to resolve them all. "Ha. Trust me, after all of this, I'll never forget any of you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: when Hamasaki was supposed to die second (after Fujimoto), her "suicide" was going to be in her room rather than in the middle of the trial


	5. Ikeda Kazuhiko

**1.**

Ikeda's exiting his room as well. I glance over at him before he sees me, still astounded that he looks the same calm as he did on our first day. "How are you staying so calm?" I ask him, getting his attention. "So much has happened, but you're still so much more calm than anyone else."

He turns to me and shrugs, still nonchalant. "It's how I was brought up. This way, I can control my reaction to uncontrollable situations."

"Did your parents teach you that?" Mine tried teaching me something like that, but it never really stuck. Go figure.

"My mom did. She taught me everything I know about my talent, actually. I shadowed her a lot as a kid." He sounds pensive on that last bit. He probably misses her.

"Are you looking forward to seeing her again once we get out of here?"

Something shifts in his demeanor, less calm and more...something. I'm not sure. "I am. She's the greatest person I know." He shakes his head after a second. "Sorry, I'd love to stay and chat more, but I actually wanted to check the storeroom again."

I step out of his way, not that I was in it to begin with. "By all means." I watch him leave, wondering how much peace a person can really have in this situation.

**2.**

Ikeda's door is wide open when I pass. This might be the first time I've seen anyone's doors open; usually they're shut tight, locked up, just in case anything happens. Ikeda might be a little more trusting than the rest of us, or else a bit dense.

"You don't have to stay out there," he says, though he didn't even look over. I didn't think he knew I was here. "Come on in."

I step in tentatively. I've...never been in a boy's room before. Not with a boy in it. This is weird. "You've got a lot of stuff in here."

Most obvious statement of the year. There's all kinds of lotions and salts and oils lined up on just about every available surface, yet the scent isn't overwhelming; it's like an undertone, actually. Nice and soothing. "I do. I've got quite the collection." He moves away from his desk, showing off his newly organized area. "This is how Mom always had it organized."

I survey it carefully and nod. I really can't tell one item from the other, but it looks nice. "So she's how you got interested in this?"

"It's her job. I'd always meet her there after school, then we'd go home together once she was done." He moves on to the next area, rearranging small bottles and containers. "It's stupid, but… I used to be afraid of being home alone. It was easier to just wait for her, you know?"

I know the feeling. "It's cool that you learned by observation, then. That takes a lot of skill."

Even though his back is turned to me again, I can sense his smile. "Yeah, that's what Mom said, too. But a lot of it is because of just how long I spent with her."

Hmm. Makes me want to get back to my parents that much more. I need to keep thinking of an escape plan, so I say goodbye and go back to my room. There has to be something we've overlooked, something that'll help us escape.

**3.**

I find myself wandering into Ikeda's room again; he gives me a wave over his shoulder. I think he's trying to get a diffuser working? I don't remember it being in there before; it must've been in the storeroom or something. "I'm guessing you and your mom are close?" I ask, nodding to a picture hanging on his wall. It's small, but nice; it must've been taken when he was three or four, he's tiny in it.

"Very. She had me young, and it's always been just the two of us." I nod slowly to myself. Sometimes I wonder about that; I know Japan isn't exactly the nicest to both the kids born out of wedlock and their moms. But that's extremely personal; I don't want to ask.

"That sounds kinda nice," I say instead, breathing in the peppermint oil from the diffuser. It's so nice; mint has always been one of my favorite scents. It's nice and calming to me.

Ikeda smiles, tightening the elastic holding back his hair. "Yeah. We hardly ever argue, and she's supportive of everything I do." That sounds awesome to me. My parents and I have our moments of arguing, even though we generally get along great.

"And she taught you all of this." I gesture around the room; I know I noticed it before, but he really does have a lot of things in here. It would be killer to dust, if we're here long enough to warrant dusting.

He laughs, leaning against his desk. "She did. I was always there, so I was learning anyway. Observation and actual learning is a good mix." He falls silent a moment, his eyes darting away from me. "I miss talking to her."

I stick around for a minute more, though neither of us talks. That's alright; silence with him is pretty comfortable. That's hard to find.

**4.**

"Need someone to walk with?" Ikeda asks, emerging from the kitchen with an apple. I'm already done eating lunch, so I don't see why not.

I stand pretty close to him, getting a whiff of… Well, saying his "scent" sounds wrong. "You always smell nice," I say, because that is definitely a non-creepy way of starting a conversation.

Still, he smiles kindly. "Thanks, I use a lot of lotions. Aromatherapy is one of my favorite parts."

I think it would be mine, too, though I usually prefer the scent of cooking to calming scents. "It's nice, very subtle and calming."

"It is!" He tosses his apple from hand to hand before taking a bite of it. "Of course, I don't have everything I do at home, but what I have here is enough."

I would definitely say so. He has no shortage of bottles of lotion in his room. His skin must be really healthy. "Is that how you've managed to stay so relaxed?"

He grins as he stops at my door. "Absolutely. Maybe I'll share some with you. You're like a ball of stress."

Before I can object, he winks and leaves for his own room. I don't even know how to react to that. He's something, alright.

**5.**

Ikeda sits down across from me in the dining hall, in the same spot as always. I push my book to the side, keeping the page number in mind. "You know," he says, "I've never gone this long without seeing my mom."

If it were anyone else, I would think that sentence was random as a conversation starter. But it's Ikeda, so it's normal, at least in my mind. "Same here."

"Hopefully everything's going alright outside." That thought's crossed my mind about a million times since we got here. I'm sure it's a different feeling for Ikeda, though; his mom was his person, the one he would spend most of his time with. I usually branched off from my parents as soon as I found a friend in each new country.

"I'm sure it is. That's the hope that's going to help us get out of here." I see hesitation in his expression before he nods once, leaning back in his seat. Neither of us actually has food out. Being here this long is really taking away everyone's appetites.

"Let's hope so," he says, with just a touch more confidence than is in his expression. "You should come by once we're out. I think you'd get along well with her."

That doesn't sound surprising; his mom sounds awesome. I smile at him. "That sounds like a plan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: Ikeda's hair (a low, long ponytail) is based off of one of my friends


	6. Kadoshima Yasu

**1.**

One of the dorms opens right as I pass by. Perfect timing, I suppose. Yasu steps out, staring down at his e-Handbook with a slight frown. He mutters something under his breath that I can't quite make out before realizing that I'm standing in front of him. "Oh! Hey, how are you?"

Yasu has that kind of smile that's infectious. I can't help but let my lips tilt into one. "Fine, thanks. Still trying to process everything, you know?"

He nods in understanding. Surely, we all are. "It's a bit much, definitely. I like Ueda's plan of living in peace for sure. It shouldn't be hard if we get to know each other, right?"

"My thoughts exactly." Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. "Hey, do you want to get some tea in the kitchen? I don't think I've had anything to drink today, come to think of it." Better late than never, though.

He brightens, even more than he already is. Any brighter, and he might blind everyone. "Sounds good!"

The dining hall isn't terribly far from the dorms, but I don't want to walk it in silence. "If you don't mind my asking… What pronouns are you using right now? I don't want to use the wrong ones." I know he told us the other day, but I don't know if they changed recently. It couldn't hurt to ask, at least.

Yasu nods, like my question is expected. "Right now, they're still he and him. I'm usually good about letting everyone know my pronouns at any given time. That was nice of you to ask, though!"

Even though I saw Sasaki come this way earlier, she's not in the dining hall or kitchen when we walk in. "Any preference?" I ask, putting a kettle of water on to boil.

"Anything relaxing. That'll make it easier to sleep." He leans back against the counter opposite me.

I glance up from the selection of teas, most individually wrapped. "Hard time falling asleep?"

He tilts a hand back and forth in a seesaw motion. "Something like that. I don't really know. Tea always helped at home, so I figure it'll work here." Solid enough logic, I guess. "Hey, what's it like, being the Super High-School Level Linguist?"

"It's pretty cool, I think! I get to know so many languages and go to so many places." Traveling has always been one of my favorite parts of getting to know a new language. "Jet lag was bad sometimes, though."

Yasu peers over at me with curiosity in his eyes. "I've never been on a plane before, is it fun?"

I study his face for a second before responding. Most of the people I know have been on a plane at least once in their lives. "You aren't missing out on much. I usually sleep during the ride. A lot of people do." I always like it better when my parents and I can travel by train. At least then there's something to look at. "Don't travel much?"

"Not really?" His expression turns a bit sheepish, guarded. He watches me as I pour the hot water into our cups with the tea bags. I'm used to this kind especially, with the strings attached to them. I pull mine up and let it bob back down a couple times, watching color diffuse into the water. "I almost envy that you do. I want to be able to see the world one day." His expression shifts to an odd mix of dreamy and dreary. It looks like he's staring off into space, his hands gingerly cupped around his tea.

I blow on my own cup, watching the steam curl off of the surface like fog on a lake. "Do you like being the Super High-School Level Friend?"

That pulls his attention back to the here and now. "I do. It's not that much of a talent; I've just always been good at socializing and making friends. It's not hard for me to do. Even now, like you and Sasaki and Yoshida, you're all friends of mine already. The others will be my friends, too. I just need to get to know them better."

Makes sense to me, and proves my method of getting to know everyone valid. "I don't doubt you'll be able to. You're probably the nicest, friendliest person I know."

He laughs a little and chances a sip of his tea, still steaming. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, I appreciate it."

**2.**

I cup my free hand under it so no blood gets on the floor. I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea, or make a mess. I nudge the door open with my foot, stopping in the doorway when I see Yasu.

"Ishikawa, I-" He cuts himself off when he sees my cut. "You're bleeding. Come here, I'll help."

I approach and sit on one of the cots as he rummages around to find antiseptic and a bandaid. "It's nothing big," I promise, examining it closer. "Just a small cut." It doesn't even span my entire palm. Barely even half. I probably don't even need antiseptic or anything.

Still, he pops back over with a small roll of gauze and gets right to work. "I think Yoshida has all of the bandaids, so a little of this should do, right?" He starts with antiseptic, pouring a bit on a cotton ball before pressing it to the cut.

"How'd you get so good at this?" I ask, trying to ignore the sting. Surprisingly, it's not bad.

"My mom is a little… Let's say 'protective,' so this is what I go through for every papercut." There's a bit of laughter tinged with something else in his voice. Concern? He dabs the excess antiseptic and blood off with a tissue. "Anyway."

He seems down now, because of what I got him thinking about. My mind races, trying to think of something else to say to lift him out of this. "Remember we were talking about traveling before? Where's the one place you really want to go?"

A wistful look crosses his face as he starts wrapping my hand gently. "That's a tough question, since I'd love to go everywhere. If I had to choose just one place…" He grows silent in thought. "Iceland. I've seen so many pictures of the natural beauties there. I can hardly imagine how great they are in person."

I grin as he cuts off the bandage and tapes the edge down. "Well, then, I'll have to take you there myself! I actually haven't been there before, but it'd be so much fun for us to go together, don't you think?"

"It would be amazing." He lets my hand go with an awkward kind of smile. "All better."

"Thanks." I can still feel the antiseptic a bit, but that'll soon fade. I look down at my hand, a slight smile growing at how ridiculous it is that there's an entire bandage on it instead of a bandaid. I get up to leave before remembering something I wanted to ask. "What were you in here for? Anything I can help with?"

If I'm not mistaken, there's panic behind his eyes. Strange. "It's nothing, don't worry! I'm, uh, going to catch up with Sasaki. I'll talk to you later!" I watch him leave in a bit of a rush. The room is quiet without him.

**3.**

I find myself wandering upstairs to the library. I have all the books in the world in my room, but maybe it'd be cool to really look at the kinds of books in the library. I always had a different purpose for going in there.

Yasu emerges from the shelves with a couple books as I walk in. "Oh, hey, Ishikawa!"

"Hey, Yasu. What's the haul?" I ask, pointing at the small stack in his arms.

He shifts so I can see the titles. "Just some on traveling. Our conversations before got me thinking, and I wanted to jump right back in like I used to."

I nod; I know that feeling well. "Living vicariously through books is something I do well, but trust me, nothing beats the real thing."

He nods pensively. "Ishikawa, what's your favorite thing about traveling? The thing that you always fall in love with every time you go somewhere new."

"That's easy; the scenery and culture. It's so easy to find somewhere that looks nice around here, especially if you know where to look, but combining it with a new, interesting culture really seals the deal." I think automatically to all the times my friends brought me to celebrations or to parks, beautiful places with beautiful traditions. I always got so excited to see the sights.

"It sounds amazing." I know I'm not hearing things this time; there's definitely something more than just wistfulness in his voice, but I still can't tell what it is.

"Yasu, have you ever been out of the country?" I remember him saying that he didn't travel much, but I didn't think he meant at all. He shakes his head. "That's why you want to?"

He gives me a little shrug. "Partly. Sometimes it's wanting to see everything, sometimes it's wanting to experience everything, sometimes it's wanting to get away from everything else. Does that make sense?"

I can't say I've ever felt that way, but in an odd way, it does make sense. "That definitely seals it, then. When we get out of here, I'm definitely taking you out of the country to see the world. It's so beautiful out there, I'm sure you would love it."

"I'm sure, too." A small smile graces his lips for a second. "For now, though, I'm fine with reading about the world. I think I'm going to go start, if you don't mind."

"No, that's fine, I didn't want to hold you up." He gives me as much of a wave as he can manage with the books in his arms before leaving.

**4.**

I wander down the hall and up the stairs, coming eventually to the chem lab. I didn't like it in there, not at all, but now that I think of it, we should probably have someone watch the poisons, just in case. Inside is Yasu, looking over the cabinet of vitamins.

"Anything interesting?" I ask, mostly as a way to start some conversation. I doubt there is; otherwise we would've found it already.

"I'm mostly just looking out of curiosity," he admits, turning to me with a half smile. "Y'know, comparing these to what's in the nurse's office. There are a lot more specific vitamins here, the nurse's office mostly just has over-the-counter."

I don't think I would've been able to tell the difference. My mom usually handled all of that when we traveled. "And you know this because of your mom? That's pretty cool."

He shrugs nonchalantly. "It's- yeah, it's kind of cool. She's just really protective of me, so I absorbed all of this information. I think this is the first time I've been somewhere and she hasn't checked on me at least once an hour."

My brow furrows. That's like a smother, isn't it? I keep that to myself, it's kind of rude to say out loud. "Is it difficult, not being able to talk to her?"

"A little? I'm almost glad for the freedom, though. Now if only we were able to go outside of the school, I would actually travel somewhere." He shrugs again, though this time its more loose, almost slack. "But at this point, I'd rather just see her and make sure she's okay. I'm sure she's worrying herself to death, and I don't want that."

"Right. Even if we can't get out of here soon, we'll probably find a way to at least communicate with everyone outside." It's wishful thinking, but if someone can hack the PA system, maybe we can, too. It's at least worth a shot if we ever get the opportunity.

"It's funny. I never thought I would miss her constant smothering. Even my dad tried to get her to lay off, but… I don't know. It's like having a comfort item stolen." He puts his hands in his pockets, and I notice for the first time a silver bracelet on one of his wrists. It's pretty, in a nondescript sort of way. "Nothing keeping myself busy won't fix."

I know that feeling well, especially now. "Don't wear yourself out," I tell him. "I'm going to find something to do, too, but… We need all the energy we can get, you know?"

He nods, his eyes back on the cabinet already. "Thanks for listening, Ishikawa. You don't know how much I appreciate it."

**5.**

I turn to leave, but Yasu takes a breath. "You know, I really do feel close to you all."

"We are close, I think." I mean, I wouldn't really feel alright being in here with just her otherwise. I trust her because I know her.

She nods slowly. Looks like she has something on her mind. "I hate that this game is our reality, but I'm really glad I met you all, you know?"

I shift my weight carefully. "Come on, don't talk like that. We'll be fine." Which is mostly a lie, since the time limit is probably going to end our lives.

"Right. Keep our heads up."

We stand there in an awkward silence for a moment. Am I supposed to leave? "Um. Still, thank you. I've loved getting to know you. If we get outside, let's keep this up."

Yasu smiles brightly, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "I'd like that. Thanks, Ishikawa."

I smile back and leave her room with the book still in my hand. I really hope we do manage to escape. I'd love hanging out with her more outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Yasu's talent was one of the last I decided on, and she was alluded to in Song of Life; my OC Haru Kadoshima is her cousin

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: In really early drafts and outlining, Abe was originally going to be a/the love interest


End file.
